<![CDATA[Political participation is a central pillar of village-level democracy in Indonesia, yet in customary (adat) villages facing prolonged leadership vacuums, the mechanisms through which residents exercise this right remain understudied. This study examines the political participation of the rural community of Negeri Rutah, Amahai Sub-district, Central Maluku Regency, Maluku Province, a customary village that has been administered by an Acting Head of Government for approximately thirteen years in the continued absence of a definitive traditional ruler. Employing a descriptive quantitative design supported by a community-based outreach intervention, data were collected through a structured satisfaction questionnaire administered to residents, village officials, and community leaders, complemented by observation and discussion. The results show that participants rated the outreach highly relevant (95%), well delivered (88%), effective in enhancing political knowledge (85%), beneficial for governance practice (90%), well facilitated and coordinated (87%), and strongly warranting follow-up (95%), yielding an average satisfaction of approximately 90 percent. These findings indicate that structured political education measurably strengthens residents' understanding of participatory mechanisms even where formal customary leadership is absent. The study contributes new empirical evidence on political participation in an eastern Indonesian customary-village context and recommends sustained political literacy programmes, strengthened deliberative forums, and inclusive engagement of women and vulnerable groups.]]>
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